Trust God

In the Bible it tells a story about Zechariah and Elizabeth. They have been married for a really long time and were unable to have kids. They also lived in a culture that measured Gods love for you by the number of children you have. They went through - heartache, unfulfillment, denial, discouraged, anger, pain, and sorrow because having a child was something they long for and didn't understand why they couldn't have one. But what they did understand was how to remain faithful while waiting on God.

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Luke 1:5-17

In the time of Herod king of Judea there was a priest named Zechariah, who belonged to the priestly division of Abijah; his wife Elizabeth was also a descendant of Aaron. Both of them were righteous in the sight of God, observing all the Lord’s commands and decrees blamelessly. But they were childless because Elizabeth was not able to conceive, and they were both very old.

Once when Zechariah’s division was on duty and he was serving as priest before God, he was chosen by lot, according to the custom of the priesthood, to go into the temple of the Lord and burn incense. And when the time for the burning of incense came, all the assembled worshipers were praying outside.

Then an angel of the Lord appeared to him, standing at the right side of the altar of incense. When Zechariah saw him, he was startled and was gripped with fear. But the angel said to him: “Do not be afraid, Zechariah; your prayer has been heard. Your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son, and you are to call him John. He will be a joy and delight to you, and many will rejoice because of his birth, for he will be great in the sight of the Lord. He is never to take wine or other fermented drink, and he will be filled with the Holy Spirit even before he is born. He will bring back many of the people of Israel to the Lord their God. And he will go on before the Lord, in the spirit and power of Elijah, to turn the hearts of the parents to their children and the disobedient to the wisdom of the righteous—to make ready a people prepared for the Lord.”

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What is truly inspiring is that they trusted God in the midst of everything! They continued to serve and worship God. They could've given up on God but they didn't! It can be so easy to lose faith and turn to self-pity. God showed his faithfulness with Zechariah and Elizabeth and blessed them with a child that they've been longing for. When you are going through times of waiting remind yourself to trust God and that his timing is perfect. I know sometimes it feels like you are holding onto faith by a thread but I promise good things are coming and He is working. God cares and loves you! He hears your cries, your anger, your pain, and desperation just keep on leaning towards him. God isn't going to give you something that you can't handle, you just have to trust him. Jesus never promised that our lives would be easy and full of comfort. In fact in John 16:33 he tells us, "I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.” So when it seems like the world is crashing upon, take joy in the fact that God holds more than the world in his hands and is always there for us and with us.

• Psalm 46:10 "Be still, and know that I am God. I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth!”

• Romans 8:28 "And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose."

• Psalm 37:5 "Commit your way to the Lord; trust in him, and he will act."

• Isaiah 41:10 "Fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God; I will strengthen you, I will help you, I will uphold you with my righteous right hand."

• Proverbs 3:5-6 "Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths."

• Hebrews 13:8 "Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever."

You are loved and stronger than you think <3